Sleep Apnea is one of those conditions that affect a lot of people but many people do not even know that they have the condition. A sufferer will likely sleep through the whole night but will often wake tired as if they did not have a good night's sleep. Some 180,000 people in the United Kingdom are affected by Sleep Apnea to some level or another and often it is a member of their family, spouse or partner who will be the one who identifies a problem. The best way to see if you are actually suffering from sleep apnoea is to visit a doctor who will likely conduct a sleep test or polysomnogram which is a diagnostic tool for researchers of sleep medicine.
So what is sleep apnea?
Sleep Apnea is a sleeping disorder where the sufferer will either stop breathing (breathing pauses) many times a night (possibly up to 30 times in a single hour) which could last for a few seconds up to a minute which is the main symptom. Alternatively, low breathing could be the cause of sleep apnea which is often referred to as hypopnoea.
There are three kinds of Sleep Apnea which are outlined below:
Central Sleep Apnea Is when you stop breathing during sleep because the brain stops signaling the muscles that control breathing. There are a number of diseases and conditions that can bring on Central Sleep Apnoes such as Bulbar poliomyelitis and severe obesity.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea This is actually the most common form of Sleep Apnea and is caused by an obstruction in the upper airway. It is common for someone who suffers from Obstructive Sleep Apnea to also be a snorer and it is this that can sometimes alert a partner or someone who may observes them sleep to the problem.
Mixed Sleep Apnea As the name suggests, mixed sleep apnea is a combination of both Central Sleep Apnea and Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
If these conditions are left undiagnosed and sufferers do not seek treatment for them then they can go on to lead to other more serious medical conditions such as problems with the cardiovascular system. If you suspect that yourself or someone you know may be suffering from Sleep Apnea then it is important to see your doctor who may then arrange a sleep test or polysomnogram to see if it is in fact the problem.
There is more information about Sleep Disorders and Insomnia available on the Sleep and Insomnia Guide